Probe of accused Erie teacher widens

This is an undated contributed photo of David Montgomery, 43, Erie, who was charged with two counts of Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse, two counts of Indecent Assault, endangering the Welfare of Children, and corruption of minors.CONTRIBUTED/ERIE TIMES-NEWS

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The federal government is investigating whether suspended Erie teacher David M. Montgomery -- who already stands accused of child molestation and child pornography -- committed additional federal crimes, including the transportation of a minor across state lines to engage in illicit sexual activity.

Montgomery, 43, has not been charged with any new crimes since he was indicted June 11 in U.S. District Court on charges of child pornography production and possession.

But a recently unsealed search warrant filed in U.S. District Court in Erie reveals investigators, who initially searched Montgomery's Holmes Street home in April, returned there with a new search warrant June 12 looking for evidence of additional crimes related to the sexual abuse of children. The charges named in the warrant are interstate transportation of a minor and coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity.

FBI Special Agent Jason Crouse said in his application for the search warrant that investigators were seeking, among other things, evidence that Montgomery repeatedly paid to transport a boy to Montgomery's home from out of state to engage in sexual activity.

Investigators planned to collect, among other items, "any and all documentation, receipts, financial statements, credit card statements, travel records, bank statements, correspondence and written materials documenting (the youth's) travel to Erie, Pennsylvania or David Montgomery's payment for (the youth) to travel to Erie, Pennsylvania."

The search warrant is further evidence that the probe of Montgomery, who has been suspended from his job as a Social Studies teacher at Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy, is evolving into one of the most sweeping child pornography investigations conducted in the region. It also represents a rare case in which a local resident stands accused of creating child pornography, as well as possessing it.

At a recent detention hearing in U.S. District Court, Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Trabold, referring to evidence that had been seized in the two searches of Montgomery's home in the 3200 block of Holmes Street, told U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan Paradise Baxter that investigators had found evidence that appeared to indicate Montgomery had produced child pornography with "multiple" children.

"We have only scratched the surface of the evidence we have obtained," Trabold said at the June 18 hearing.

Montgomery's lawyer, Gene Placidi, could not immediately be reached for comment. Montgomery has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.

The investigation of Montgomery began more than two years ago when Erie police arrested him in March 2011 on charges he molested three boys in 2010. He was ultimately cleared of those allegations after charges related to two younger boys, ages 6 and 9, were dropped by the Erie County District Attorney's Office. Montgomery was then acquitted at trial in May on charges related to the oldest of the three, a 12-year-old boy.

Amid that prosecution, an 18-year-old man came forward and accused Montgomery of molesting him from when he was 8 until he was about 15.

The man said the incidents occurred at Montgomery's home when he was visiting Montgomery on various dates from June 2003 to December 2010. He further said Montgomery had taken sexually explicit photos of him and shown him sexually explicit photos of other children, some with Montgomery.

Those allegations resulted in new state child molestation charges: Montgomery is awaiting a July 10 preliminary hearing on charges of two felony counts each of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and aggravated indecent assault of a child younger than 13 and one felony count each of endangering the welfare of a child and corruption of a minor.

The claims also triggered the searches of Montgomery's home that resulted in the June 11 federal child pornography indictment and the ongoing investigation of possible other crimes.

LISA THOMPSON can be reached at 870-1802 or by e-mail. Follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNthompson.